EQUINE METABOLIC SYNDROME & PITUITARY PARS INTERMEDIA DYSFUNCTION

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) are common and important causes of endocrinopathic laminitis in horses. While laminitis is a shared aspect of the clinical characteristics of both conditions, many differences exist and they should be considered as different syndromes. Importantly, methods of diagnosis and disease management differ between EMS and PPID and accurate assessment of horses examined for suspected endocrinopathic laminitis is required. Horses with either EMS or PPID are often presented with laminitis, without a history of predisposing factors such as gastrointestinal disease or a focus of infection. Endocrinopathic laminitis is often associated with grazing pasture and ingestion of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) (pasture-associated laminitis) and is under-pinned by and associated with varying endocrine and metabolic dysfunction. The severity of endocrinopathic laminitis is variable; occasionally severe forelimb or quadrilateral lameness may develop, however milder forms are more common and sometimes overt lameness may not be noticed by the owner.